It seems like just yesterday that we were texting and calling Happy New Year to friends and family, and saying “bye” to 2014. The days are just rolling in to one another, making a week seem like just a couple of days. Seems like we don’t have a full 24 hours in a day any more. What’s the deal with that?!

Well, I don’t know about you, but I’m determined to make and get the most out of each day… every day. There are routines I can’t get around, like working and resting, but with my other waking hours, I strive to be as productive as possible.

Thankfully, our bread-and-butter business affords me about 11 hours per day to think and “study”. I mean, what else can you do while you’re holding the steering wheel, right? Lol

I listen to a lot of podcasts… I mean A LOT! I’ve listened to 600+ hours on Stitcher alone. That’s not counting the many, many hours of YouTube videos I was watching before I found Stitcher. Now, I’ve also started listening to iHeart Radio. So much content and info, but so little time to take it all in, let alone implement what you’ve just learned.

2014 was my first year in the online marketing world. I actually didn’t even realize I was a marketer until around June, so I’ve had a solid what… six months to try and figure it out? I didn’t even know this blog was a marketing piece, or at least it’s supposed to be, I’m told. I’ve been blogging since late 2013. I was just talking and try to find some light-hearted people to “kick it” with. I’m still learning, but loving it!

Being savvy in social media is not only important, but imperative in establishing your brand and obtaining new customers. It is a key element needed to build your business and brand. as well as retain and build relationships with current customers. You need to get with the social times, because according to best-selling authorErik Qualman, as he reported in his video Socialnomics 2014:

How are you using social media to get potential customers to know, like and trust you and your brand?

Every business, large and small, should focus on obtaining new customers. Unfortunately, too many companies allocate more resources into getting new business, neglecting, to a degree, their current customers. It has always been said that repeat customers are every business’s goal. So why doesn’t it feel like that with every company I deal with? Do you ever feel a bit jealous when you see these killer deals say, your cell phone service provider, is offering to new customers only? I’m sure they are aware of the 80/20 rule. We know that 80% of your business will come from 20% of your customers. Shouldn’t it be just as important, if not critical, to include your current customers in your social media strategy? It’s easier to market to people who have already bought what your selling, right? Read more

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With the various types of technology available today, the customer experience can be improved vastly. This can be done whether your customer exchange is face-to-face, over-the phone or online. In order to truly revolutionize the customer experience, change needs to happen on both, the customer and business’s behalf. On the corporate side, far more companies need to provide great customer service, consistently, and ensure that their employees are thoroughly trained accordingly to their employer’s standards.

On the consumer’s side, the mindset customers bring to the exchange, may already be biased, if they’ve previously done business with your establishment. Unfortunately, if the previous interaction ended with a negative experience, it will be your job to go above and beyond to, at the very least, leave them with a not-so-negative attitude. Ideally, you ultimately want to win their trust back, and convert them into a returning customer. Wouldn’t it be awesome if they went back to their friends and family and told them what a wonderful experience they had with your company, after a rocky beginning?

Here are 4 suggestions on how to use the technology available today, to convert your customer’s mindset from negative to positive: Read more